Launi K. Condit

What Fashion and Style mean to me.

All say that the eyes are the mirror into our souls.  For those we don’t allow close enough to gaze into our souls.  Our personality is expressed as that of a billboard through our style.  Choices made either on a whim while late for work or carefully chosen accessories that accentuate the flawless outfit ensemble that makes us feel powerful all equate to a reflection to the person we are.

You’ve had that feeling before.  When nothing can stop you, everything from your under garments to the exterior clothing choices are money.  You feel invincible.  When you feel as such thru mere fashion choices the energy that shines from within are unmistakable.  Positivity radiates from your core.

The opposite can occur just the same.  When you’ve run from the house whipping your unwashed hair into a messy pony tail and by the nature of Murphy’s Law you will surely run into a malicious enemy, old flame or client.  After that first eye contact and wary smile your confidence is hindered by the knowledge that you are not looking your best.

Judgments and assumptions are made by the statements we make by the clothes we chose to wear.  Classifications of who we are; a business professional, a hipster, a girly-girl, a tom boy, the list goes on; are all made by others as we cross paths and within a blink of an eye.  How do you chose to market and decorate your billboard?

Launi K. Condit has lived in Beijing, New York City and now currently resides in San Francisco.

NOTE: Launi no longer contributes blog posts but you can read her past articles in the archives.

          I am 5’5”. And up until recently that meant (to me) that I was too tall to wear high heels on a regular basis in fear of drawing too much attention or looking like I’d overdressed.  With that said, recently I’ve decided to stop dressing for others and start dressing for myself. Why? Because I love fashion. And I’ve always loved fashion with a wary heart.

          At a young age, I created a style catalog of what I considered desirable outfits for various occasions. These outfits were all hand-drawn by yours truly and labeled to avoid any confusion. Of course I never wore any of my made-up outfits and looking back, I honestly believe it was due to good judgment on my part because one, the cost to custom-make these babies would have been quite outstanding and two, I would have looked like a child prostitute. (Blame the Spice Girls.) As bold and adventurous as my catalog might have seemed, those ideas never surfaced beyond my bedroom door.

          For most of my adolescent life, I strived to lay low in order to blend in and draw very little attention to myself by dressing like everyone else and keeping my imagination at a minimum. On a surface level, dressing alike might seem like something that tweens/teenagers just do. But delving deeper, these actions are inextricably linked to self-esteem issues. As I’m getting older and making strides to overcome these childhood complexes, it’s become important to me to embrace my dreams of fearless fashion. It’s finally time for subtlety to take a backseat when I choose my outfits. Nowadays, when I dress up in the mornings, it’s just my little way of loving myself.

By Tiffany Wang

Hello Readers,

My name is Tiffany and I am a student pursuing a degree in Communications with no real interest in the subject—or in school, for that matter—except to obtain my diploma. But don’t let my underachieving ways deter you from your educational pursuits. Throughout my life I’ve plowed through varying hobbies and interests, but the one thing that’s stuck is the ever-alluring draw of shopping. This is only natural as I am a woman and we women have carried the title of ‘gatherers’ (as in hunter-gatherers) since the dawn of mankind. That being the case, I’ve taken it upon myself to make the most of my gathering skills and inspire others to partake in the act of gathering as well. And I can assure you… it is most rewarding.

NOTE: Tiffany no longer contributes blog posts but you can read her past articles in the archives.

          One thing I really love about fashion is the ability to dream…dream of outfits that I hope to wear “one” day to that “amazing” event. I guess it started when I was young when I used to page through clothing catalogs like Newport News, Chadwicks, and Victoria’s Secret. I couldn’t afford to buy anything but I would still fill out the order page just in case I would fall into money. I would find my favorite outfits and circle them…dream about opening my closet to see them hanging there. Unfortunately most times, that dream never became a reality until I was older. Now I dream of Valentino, Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Dior, and more. A bit more fashion advanced then my younger catalog years. However isn’t it odd that I find myself in the same position…dreaming of clothes I can’t have. Don’t get me wrong, I do have my fair share of designers in my closet but my closet pales in comparison to Carrie Bradshaws…and that’s okay. It just means I cherish the designer clothes I have all the more especially because they make up only 1/4 of my wardrobe. The good thing is I still get to dream and page through Vogue, Elle, Instyle, and Marie Claire and earmark my favorite outfits that I hope to have one day. I guess it’s always good to have a dream and someday I hope I get to wear the most beautiful Dior Couture frock to an amazing event. That is one dream I hope comes true.

By Erin C. Higgins

Cocktail Dressesby Fendi
Sandals by Valentino

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